BACKGROUND The storage of red blood cells (RBC) is associated with impairment of their properties that can induce a circulatory risk to recipients. In a preceding study (2009), we reported that post-storage rejuvenation (RJ) of stored RBC (St-RBC) efficiently reduced the storage-induced RBC/endothelial cell interaction, while only partially reversing the level of intracellular Ca(2+), reactive ...

Blood transfusion is a fundamental therapy in numerous pathological conditions. Regrettably, many clinical reports describe adverse transfusion's drawbacks due to red blood cells alterations during storage. Thus, the possibility for a blood bank to ameliorate the quality of the erythrocyte concentrates units is crucial to improve clinical results and reduce transfusion adverse occurrences. Leuk...

Storage time and residual leukocytes in red blood cell (RBC) units may be deleterious by increasing the accumulation of leukocyte-derived cytokines and by raising the adhesion of RBCs to endothelium. Leukodepleted RBC transfusion may reduce the incidence of infection and organ dysfunction. However, the influence of leukodepletion on microcirculation remains not well defined in ICU patients. In ...

In 284 US intensive care units the CRIT study (Anemia and blood transfusion in the critically ill--Current clinical practice in the United States) assessed allogeneic red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and outcome in 4892 patients. As in the former European ABC study (Anemia and blood transfusion in the critically ill), the mean pretransfusion hemoglobin was approximately 8.5 g/dl and RBC transfu...

High efficiency leukocyte reducing filters can remove more than 99.9-99.99% of white cells from cellular blood components and are considered to be effective in decreasing HLA alloimmunization of patients with haematological malignancies. A multi-institution study was performed to determine whether white cell filtration would also be effective in preventing alloimmunization in surgical transfusi...

Leukocyte reduction of donated blood products substantially reduces the risk of a number of transfusion-related complications. Current 'leukoreduction' filters operate by trapping leukocytes within specialized filtration material, while allowing desired blood components to pass through. However, the continuous release of inflammatory cytokines from the retained leukocytes, as well as the potent...

Background: Human Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most significant pathogens infecting immunosuppressed individuals. CMV is known to be a significant cause of morbidity and mortality following blood transfusion in immunocompromised individuals. The immunosuppressed population for whom CMV free blood products are requested is increasing due to advances in medical care. The most effective way...

Recently, Dietz and coworkers described a new source of viable peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNCs) that they recovered from leukoreduction system chambers (LRSCs) of Trima Accel apheresis devices (Gambro BCT, Lakewood, CO) after routine donor plateletpheresis procedures. These white blood cells (WBCs), which are usually discarded, functioned excellently in conventional in vitro assays a...

BACKGROUND Human CD34+ cells are mandatory to study many aspects of human hematopoiesis. Their low frequency in blood or marrow and ethical reasons limit their obtainment in large quantities. Leukoreduction filters (LRFs) are discarded after preparation of red blood cells. The CD34+ cell concentration in healthy donor blood is low (1×10(3) -4×10(3) /mL), but their number trapped in one LRF afte...